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And Diego Costa, still clearly bitter about his Chelsea exit, chose his time and place perfectly to mock the manager who let him go.

Watching coverage of Chelsea’s Champions League clash with Barcelona, the striker, who helped the Italian to a Premier League title last season, erased his former manager’s name from the teamsheet.

Conte is under pressure to keep his job, and Costa, who was forced out of the club after a bitter fall-out with the manager in the off-season, is seemingly relishing the way his old boss has gone since opting to replace him with Alvaro Morata, and then, also Olivier Giroud.

Costa moved to Atletico Madrid in January.

No doubt, he would have enjoyed Barcelona’s victory over his former teammates, with a 3-0 win following their 1-1 draw in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Lionel Messi, back in the side after attending the birth of his third child in Argentina at the weekend, reached a landmark 100th Champions League goal with his second goal of the night after 62 minutes at Camp Nou.

He had already put Barcelona ahead after just three minutes, beating Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois at his near post with Ousmane Dembele adding the second on 20 minutes after being set up by Messi.